Writers are juggling a lot these days — jobs, political activism, a pandemic, teaching kids at home, the list goes on. With everything we’ve been hit with in 2020, it can be difficult to carve out time to sit down and write. Here are a few strategies for staying productive in trying times.
1. Keep a daily goal, but keep it simple.
Goals are great, but when we start out with daily word counts that end up being a little too ambitious, it’s easy to give up quickly and fall back into the pit of writing despair. Why not try an easy-to-reach goal like 150 words per day? Or even just 150 words per day on weekdays? Realistic goals that are easy to achieve, even with a busy schedule, can help you keep momentum.
2. Mark writing time on your calendar.
Sometimes the simple act of blocking out time on your calendar can make writing time feel more “real.” Try blocking out an hour — or even 30 minutes — each day for writing. Mark it in your calendar the week before, and don’t schedule anything else during that time. Keep your appointment with your muse.
3. Create deadlines.
Nothing beats a hard deadline when it comes to getting work done. As writers — especially fiction writers — we often have to create these deadlines for ourselves. Try signing up for a class, joining a writing group or establishing a relationship with a writing partner so that you’re forced to show new work to a person or group on a regular basis.